


I’ll be Waiting for You

by twigletfitz



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angel Castiel (Supernatural), Bisexual Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester's Birthday, Fix-It, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Post-Canon Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28953375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twigletfitz/pseuds/twigletfitz
Summary: Just a 1500 word Fix-It Ficlet for Dean's 42nd Birthday. Castiel Lives. Dean gets presents :) A tiny bit sad in places, but overall it's happy!
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester, Jack Kline & Dean Winchester, Jack Kline & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	I’ll be Waiting for You

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for the atrociousness of this fic, I wrote it in 5 hours (partly during my breaks at work) over two days! I wanted to get it posted on Dean's birthday, but I may go back to edit and polish it up at a later date :) constructive criticism only, please :) Comments are welcome (and encouraged)!

Dean sighs heavily as he rolls over onto his back, wiping the drool from his chin and rubbing the sleep from his eyes before he looks over to the clock on his nightstand to check the time. It’s 9am, which means he’s gotten 6 hours of sleep instead of his usual 4 hours. He contemplates turning over and attempting to go back to sleep but then his brain registers what the date is, it’s his birthday. It doesn’t feel like his birthday, but then again it never really has since he’s never properly celebrated it. He knows this year won’t be any different, and honestly? He’s not feeling in a celebratory mood anyway. The last lead he’d found on a possible way to get Cas out of the empty hadn’t worked out and celebrating his birthday without the Angel being there felt wrong. Dean considers praying to Jack again and asking his pseudo-son to bring Castiel back as his birthday present, but deep down he knows there’s nothing Jack would be able to do. He knows the Nephilim would have done everything within his power to pull the man he considers his father from that awful place, and the fact that Castiel isn’t here with them now tells Dean all he needs to know.

It takes him longer than it should to make himself get out of bed and washed up for the day, but it’s easy for him to decide that he’s going to stay in his pyjamas until lunchtime at least. After he’s pulled his robe on he makes the annoyingly long trek to the kitchen and lounge area, thankful that the bunker is still quiet. Dean hopes that his brother is still out on his run, he doesn’t feel up for the inevitable old man jokes he’s sure to get from Sam. That hope is quickly squashed when he enters the kitchen to find Sam already sat at the table, Eileen beside him. “Mornin’…” Dean mumbles, shuffling across the room towards the coffee machine to grab himself a cup. Sam frowns behind his brother’s back, exchanging a worried glance with his girlfriend. “Good morning Dean... Happy Birthday..” he responds, brow furrowed. “Thanks, Sammy..” the elder Winchester murmurs, settling into one of the empty seats with his steaming mug of caffeine. “That for me?” He asks, pointing at the group of presents sat in front of his brother. Before Sam can say anything there’s a quiet pop behind him as their Nephilim son appears, a smile on his boyish features. “Hello, Sam... Happy Birthday, Dean...” Jack says, laughing when he’s suddenly wrapped up in a tight hug by the older man. Whilst Dean is occupied he manages to pass Sam a small gift box, careful not to let the older Winchester catch sight of the present just yet. “Jack! It’s so good to see you..” Dean grins, tugging the boy to sit down next to him. “So... presents?” Dean questions, grinning wider at his younger brother. “Yeah Dean they’re yours, can’t let my big brother’s birthday go by without giving him some presents after all...” Sam teases, smiling at Dean who finds his lips turning up in response. It’s the first time he’s smiled so much in what feels like years, “Can I open them now or are you gonna make me wait?” He teases back, still smiling a little. “No, you can open them... but you’ve gotta leave this one 'til last..” Sam tells his brother, setting aside a small gift box before he pushes the rest of the pile towards Dean. The older man frowns a bit in confusion, but it’s soon forgotten as he begins to tear into the presents. His smile gets bigger and bigger with each gift that he opens, and he’s practically vibrating out of his seat in excitement when he gets to the end. “Thanks, Sammy.. you too Eileen... I love it all..” The Hunter tells his family, smiling fondly at his younger brother. “Gimme!” He then demands, making grabby hands at the one Sam had set aside.

Sam pushes the final present towards Dean who picks it up and pulls off the lid without hesitation, he’s about to speak but then who the gift is from hits him square in the chest like a punch. Dean lifts the plastic rectangle out of the box with gentle fingers, blinking rapidly in an attempt to stop himself from crying. “I don’t understand.. when did..? but he’s gone..” Dean murmurs, confused. Jack puts his hand gently on Dean’s shoulder, looking like he’s about to cry himself. “I’m sorry Dean... I couldn’t tell you... Please don’t be upset with me? I did manage to get Castiel out of the empty, but there were conditions of his release.. one being that he wasn’t allowed to step foot on earth again..” Jack explains, wringing his hands together nervously as he waits for the older man to respond. “You.. you got him out? Jack.. that’s.. you did it?” He asks, wiping discreetly at his eyes. “I’m not mad Jack.. you saved him.. but why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Dean continues, pulling the younger man into another tight hug. “I thought it might make you sad to not be able to see him.. but then you were so sad anyway... He asked me to bring this to you, he didn’t want you to be sad because of him anymore.. neither of us did..” The Nephilim continues after Dean releases him from the hug, wringing his hands together once again. “Thank you, Jack. You did good kid. I’m proud of you.” The Hunter tells his pseudo-son, clapping him lightly on the shoulder and grinning when he sees Jack’s cheeks flushing at the praise.

They spend the rest of the day eating pie, drinking beer, and playing board games, and Dean can confidently say he’s never had a birthday so good. By the time it’s dark outside he’s exhausted, ready to turn in and go to bed. Then he remembers his present from Castiel, the little box has been tucked securely in his shirt pocket all day, urging him to take a listen. He bids his brother, Eileen and then Jack goodnight, hugging them all before he retires to his bedroom. He sets the box on his nightstand before getting ready for bed, pulling out his well-loved Walkman once he’s settled between the sheets. Dean takes the tape out of the box, fingers brushing over the familiar scrawl of Castiel’s handwriting on the label. “Songs that make me think of you..” he whispers, reading the title that the Angel had given the mixtape. His brow furrows in confusion when he sees a small velvet pouch underneath the tape, which he sets aside on his comforter before reaching in to take out the hidden item. He shakes the pouch over his open palm and sucks in a sharp breath when a dark iridescent feather falls out, a leather cord coiling on top of it in his hand. It’s one of Castiel’s feathers. A feather from his wings. The knowledge makes Dean tear up as he slips the cord over his head, the feather resting right in the middle of his chest before he quickly swipes at his eyes and returns his attention to the cassette tape. He gently pushes it into his player, closing it with a click before he puts his headphones on and leans back against the headboard. He starts to laugh when the first song that comes on is ‘I knew you were Trouble,’ by Taylor Swift, a few wayward tears making their way down his face. He’s been missing Cas so badly, but knowing the Angel is up there in heaven with Jack makes that terrible ache in his chest lessen considerably. Dean listens to each song in full, appreciating each and every one of Castiel’s choices even if his favourite remains the first song on the tape. Not that he would ever admit it.

The Hunter is about to turn off the Walkman when he hears his Angel’s voice, he’s confused at first but then he realises it’s coming through his headphones. Castiel had recorded a message onto the cassette. Dean feels his breath catch, his heart pounding as he listens to the man’s gravelly voice. “Hello Dean.. Happy Birthday, I hope it was everything you wished it to be. I know you miss me; I miss you too. But I’m here Dean, in Heaven. I’ll be waiting for you, but I had better not see you here anytime soon. I want you to live Dean, live your life and have fun. You can relax now, no one is controlling you anymore. I won’t tell you to start a family because I know you wouldn’t listen. I heard you, you know? After Jack pulled me from the empty, I heard your prayers.. I know you’ve been beating yourself up for not saying it back but it’s okay Dean. We’ll have all the time in the world when you get here. I’ll be waiting, I promise. I’d wait a millennium for you Dean. I love you Dean Winchester, don’t forget that.” By the time the tape ends Dean is crying, hot tears streaming down his face as he hugs the Walkman to his chest. “I love you too Cas..” he whispers, like it’s a secret just for his ears and Castiel’s. He rewinds the cassette and starts it over again, listening to the whole thing twice more before he falls asleep to the sound of his Angel’s voice. And he is, his Angel. He’s always been Dean’s Angel, even before either of them knew it. As he sleeps a gust of warm air brushes over him, ruffling his hair in a caress. Castiel is watching over him, waiting as he promised he would be.


End file.
